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Gabe Becker
Gabe began his musical studies in 2001 at American River College in Sacramento, CA. After receiving a student scholarship for guitar performance, he studied jazz guitar with Kurt Shiflet, and classical guitar with Brandon Yip. He went on to study classical guitar at California State University, Sacramento with Dr. Richard Savino. Upon returning to CSUS for his graduate degree, Gabe studied guitar in master classes with guitarists; Angel Romero, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Jason Vieaux and many others. As well as performing, Gabe has a passion for instruction and music program design.
Experience:
- Former adjunct faculty member, Lake Tahoe Community College, 2015-2018
- Former adjunct faculty member, Yuba Community College, 2012-2014
- Instructor and Arts Facilitator for California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, CSP-SAC, 2010-present
- Director and Instructor at Becker Guitar Studio, Suzuki Classical Guitar Program 2001-present
- Graduate student teaching assistant, CSU-Sacramento, 2009
Education:
- Master of Music degree California State University, Sacramento, 2010
- Bachelor of Music degree in 2006 from CSUS.
- Studied with: Kurt Shiflet, Brandon Yip, Dr. Richard Savino, Gyan Riley
- Master Classes for some of today’s foremost classical guitarists: The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, David Tannenbaum, Angel Romero, Jason Vieaux, Denis Azabagic, Lily Afshar, and others.
- Suzuki Guitar Teacher Training, Book 1, 2, 3
Professional Memberships:
- Suzuki Association of the Americas 2005 to present
- Music Teacher’s Association of California 2013 to present
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Harold Sexton
With 40 years of guitar teaching experience, Harold Sexton has joined Becker Guitar Studio. After a 47 year career at AT&T, Harold has retired from the telephone company and plans to enjoy his life-long love for the guitar.
Mentored by Brandon Yip on the Suzuki Guitar Method, Harold has taught all ages, both private and group lessons, using the Suzuki Methodology. Harold has completed and registered teacher training for Every Child Can and Suzuki Guitar Books 1-3. His teacher training was provided by Suzuki Guitar gurus Frank Longay and Mychal Gendron.
Harold initially took Suzuki Guitar Teacher Training to become a better guitar teacher for his grandchildren that wanted to learn to play the guitar. With the current grandchildren count at 14, he calls his teacher training the best investment of his life. Believing so strongly in the power of the Suzuki Guitar Method, Harold’s teaching has extended way beyond family.
Harold’s classical guitar training started in 1973 with a Southern California Community College guitar class. After taking all of the guitar classes offered at El Camino College, Harold studied privately with the course instructor Jim Forrest. He also attended and performed in a week long Cal State Fullerton Master Class taught by David Grimes. After moving from Southern California to Sacramento, Harold studied with two of the best in the area, Brandon Yip and Matthew Grasso.
Harold has written articles that were published in Soundboard Magazine, the academic classical guitar journal of the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA). As a guitar lover, he has seen many concerts over five decades that include Andres Segovia, John Williams, Julian Bream, The Romeros, Paco De Lucia and so many others that Harold will be happy to tell you about!
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Aaron Davis
Aaron Davis began his formal study of classical guitar under Brandon Yip while attending American River College in 2003. He continued his studies at California State University, Sacramento under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Savino and Dr. David Chapman, ultimately earning a Bachelor of Music in Classical Guitar Performance and Music Education when he graduated with highest honors in 2017. During his undergraduate career he performed in masterclasses with renowned guitarists Jason Viaeux, Martha Masters, David Tanenbaum, John Dearman, and others. Aaron is currently studying lute and classical guitar performance at CSUS as a graduate student of Dr. Richard Savino and will complete his Master’s degree in Music Performance in May 2020.
He has taught guitar and other instruments in individual and group settings since 2008.
Education:
- Master of Music Performance, Classical Guitar – CSUS School of Music, Degree Expected 2020
- Bachelor of Music, Classical Guitar Performance and Music Education, Summa cum Laude– CSUS School of Music, 2017
- Group and individual Suzuki teaching experience in the Sac State String Project, a youth string education program